Darwa

At the dawn of the new millennium, the electronica duo Darwa plunged into one of music's most fluid genres. Frontwoman and guitarist Darja Klancar joined programmer Mario Marlot to form the project, and their electro-fusion caught the ear of Zimar Minagault from Abstrakt Reality Records in Los Angeles via MP3.com, even though the pair lived continents apart. Both natives of Slovenia, Klancar and Marlot had already logged years in bands during their teenage period, with Klancar leading multiple punk-oriented groups beginning at age 14 and Marlot performing in the established punk jazz outfit Miladojka. Darwa nevertheless pursued a lighter approach through its dark dance anthems, threading Detroit techno loops together with a textured jazz aesthetic. Their first release, More Life More Trouble, appeared on Abstrakt Reality during spring 2001.